It's just the thing to do these days: the Sun-Times Media Group, which owns the Chicago…
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That "Ehhhh" is the sound of forlorn media watchers collectively saying, "Jesus Christ, what the hell is the point, by now?"

The Chicago Tribune plans to cut another 20% of its newsroom staff in yet another bid to reduce expenses amid continuing advertising declines.

Staffers were told of the impending layoffs last week, according to three people who attended a meeting on the topic. The cuts will take place over the next several weeks, the sources said.

This is an attempt to "cut expenses," but at some point—we're not saying the paper has necessarily reached that point yet, but they sure are ambling down the road towards it—it's just time to really cut expenses, by folding the paper. On a human level, of course, we hope not, but fuck. At some point, again, you pass the point of diminishing returns, where every cut just accelerates your demise. One-fifth of your newsroom is a hell of a cut. Can the Tribune Co. really, seriously, cut its way back to profitability, and out of billions and billions of dollars of debt?